In this second episode of the Ministry of History's East Germany series, we’re diving into the political system, ideology, and leaders of the GDR. East Germany officially called itself a democracy—its full name was the German Democratic Republic (GDR)—and it even held elections. But were they truly democratic? The ruling Socialist Unity Party (SED) tightly controlled the state, ensuring that real political power remained in the hands of a select few.
Who were those select few? Just how was the GDR's political system structured? What was contained in its constitution? What was its actual ideology - communist, socialist or something else? Listen to the episode to find out!
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Artwork by Leila Mead. Check out her website and follow her on Instagram.
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